Au Vietnamaccording to the Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC), the city recorded 70 chickenpox cases this week, a slight drop from the previous week when Hanoi recorded 112 chickenpox cases.
Since the beginning of the year, Hanoi recorded 548 cases of chickenpox, while during the same period in 2022, 4 cases were recorded. Most cases were reported in the preschool (36.5%) and primary school (38%) age group.
Chickenpox patients have been recorded in 18/30 districts, some of which have high numbers of cases, leading Chuong My with 230 cases, followed by Me Linh with 69 cases, Ba Vi (60 cases). Nam Tu Liem (56 cases), My Duc (42 cases).
Reminders on chickenpox:
Chickenpox is a common, highly contagious rash in childhood. It is caused by infection with the varicella virus, called VZV for Varicella-Zona Virus. It mainly affects children in more than 90% of cases, and is most often benign. The adult forms are rarer but more serious.
The varicella zoster virus is transmitted by the respiratory route in contact with an infectious patient with chickenpox. After an incubation of about two weeks, a low-grade fever occurs followed by a rash made up of macules and vesicles that are clear and then cloudy. These lesions appear all over the body (face, chest, abdomen, etc.) and turn into scabs before disappearing.
- In children, serious complications are exceptional and healing occurs spontaneously without treatment in about ten days.
- In pregnant women and newborns, complications are possible, justifying special precautions. The same is true for immunocompromised people, who should avoid contact with a child with chickenpox.
Although this condition is usually not serious, it often causes children and their parents to miss school and work. Most cases of chickenpox in healthy children are treated with bed rest, fluid intake, and fever control.
Recommendations for travelers:
There is no specific recommendation. In non-immunized adults, immunocompromised people, pregnant women or newborns, staying in an epidemic zone may be inadvisable.
Vaccination against varicella consists of two doses with an interval of at least one month between the 1st and 2nd dose, a longer interval may be recommended depending on the vaccine used and age.
Source : Outbreak News Today.